Stranraer Sheriff Court Files

A round-up of latest files from Stranraer Sheriff Court.

A WHITHORN man who viciously assaulted three men, two of them with a candle stick, was jailed for four years and nine months by Sheriff Kenneth Robb at Stranraer Court on Tuesday.

Twenty-year-old James Jolly, of 10 Isle Street, admitted assaulting Christopher Maguire in the town's George Street by repeatedly punching, kicking him and striking him on the head with a bottle to his severe injury. The accused also pled guilty to assaulting Stephen Jamieson in High Street, Whithorn, by repeatedly striking him on the head and body with a candle stick to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life and to assaulting Gary Prentice in High Street by striking him on the head with a candle stick to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement. All the offences took place on April 25th this year.

THE boss of a Newton Stewart building firm appeared at Stranraer Sheriff Court on Monday to maintain a plea of not guilty to cutting down trees illegally.

James Scott Builders of Holmpark Industrial Estate are accused of felling nine mature broadleaved trees at Doocot Terrace and Newton Stewart Golf Club on October 11th last year without a felling licence.

A new trial date of January 6th, 2010, was set.

A MINNIGAFF woman who assaulted her husband after an argument was fined 275 by Sheriff Kenneth Robb at court on Monday.

Janet Thornton, 45, 6 Holmpark Crescent, admitted, while acting with another, to assaulting Richard Thornton by repeatedly striking him on the head to his injury. Soicitor Paul Feeney, for the accused, told the court that a family argument had "got out of hand".

Sentencing, Sheriff Robb commented that "drink was probably one of the primary causes of the incident".

THROWING a glass at someone in a pub landed a man with 100 hours of community service at the sheriff court in Stranraer on Tuesday.

Horace Woolley, 20 , of 14 St Ninian's Crescent, Whithorn, pled guilty to throwing the glass at Paul O'Malley in the Railway Inn, in the town's St John Street, on August 25th. He also admitted breaching his probation order on two occasions.

The court heard that the incident had been recorded on CCTV but, defending the accused, solicitor Michael Kilkerr said that did not record sound and therefore did not revel that Woolley had been "subjected to bullying" by the complainer.

As well as community service, Sheriff Kenneth Robb decided to continue Woolley's probation order.

A NEWTON Stewart man who insulted, punched and struggled with a group of police officers, that included his sister, had his sentence deferred by Sheriff Kenneth Robb for a personal appearance in the sheriff court in Stranraer.

Ian Crosbie, 20, of Old Dairy House, Newton Stewart, pled guilty to letter to acting in a threatening and aggressive manner towards police officers, assaulting one police officer by punching her twice on the arm, assaulting another by punching him on the face and struggling violently with two officers at 40 King Street, on July 27th. He also admitted headbutting and kicking the cage door of a police van and committing a breach of the peace the same day.

The case will be called again on October 27th.

A GARLIESTON man who admitted a breach of the peace in Newton Stewart in January was ordered to do 80 hours of community service this week.

Thirty-two-year-old Kris Cuthbertson, 2, Killfillan Place, appeared for sentencing at Stranraer Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to shouting, swearing, repeatedly banging on a window, challenging others to a fight in Princes Street, on January 10th.

Defending, lawyer Ian Milligan said the accused had got himself involved in a long standing dispute between his partner and her neighbours and that alcohol had played a part.

A HOTELIER was found guilty of assault after a trial at Stranraer Sheriff Court on Monday.

Callow was convicted of assaulting Paul Heydon by striking and punching him on the head, causing him to fall backwards and hit his head on a table to his severe injury at the hotel on November 8th last year.

A WOMAN who put a knife into a post box in Stranraer was jailed at Stranraer Sheriff Court on Tuesday.

Jayne Russell, 28, appeared from custody to be sentenced after pleading guilty at an earlier diet to recklessly placing the knife in the box outside Tesco in Charlotte Street on June 20th, to the danger of any Royal Mail employee who had cause to empty the box.

Sheriff Kenneth Robb sentenced Russell to a total of six months and three weeks in prison.

A DRUNK man who tried to force his way into a house in Stranraer was jailed for 90 days at Stranraer Sheriff Court on Tuesday.

Twenty-eight-year-old Christopher Lees, of 28 Coronation Drive, Stranraer, admitted attempting to gain entry to 24D Dalrymple Street in the town and committing a breach of the peace when he was on bail for another matter.

That matter was breaching the peace, resisting arrest and threatening to stab police officers at Springfield Crescent, Stranraer, on August 6th, all of which were admitted by the accused.

Sheriff Kenneth Robb dealt with these offences by ordering Lees to complete a total of 130 hours community service.

A FATHER and son appeared in the dock at Stranraer Sheriff Court on Tuesday for sentencing after admitting a series of assaults during a drunken night out in the town.

At a previous diet, 43-year-old Douglas Allison, 37 Agnew Crescent, admitted assaulting three men and John Allison pled guilty to assaulting two men in Stranraer on March 15th.

The court heard that drink had played a significant part in the attacks which were captured by CCTV.